This invention relates to a wheel stopping device and particularly to improvements in a wheel stopping device designed to be attached to wheels of a baby carriage, for example, and selectively maintain the stopped state.
A baby carriage, for example, is desirably provided with a wheel stopping device whereby the baby carriage is inhibited from starting to move under its own weight as on a sloping road. It is desired that such wheel stopping device, which is manipulated according to the need, be simple in operation. Further, the wheel stopping device is closely related to the safety of baby carriages, and it is desirable that it be constructed so that with respect to baby carriage wheels disposed at two different places, e.g., right and left rear wheels, the device is capable of maintaining the stopped state of the wheels. This is even a legal obligation in some countries.
In the case where the wheel stopping device is constructed to act on wheels disposed at two different places, it is desirable if two such wheel stopping mechanisms disposed at two places can be simultaneously actuated in one operation. When two stopping mechanisms at two places are to be simultaneously actuated, a solution would be to connect them together by a suitable interlocking mechanism. However, if such wheel stopping device is attached to a collapsible baby carriage, the positional relation between the two wheel stopping mechanisms can change with the collapsing operation. In such case, the interlocking mechanism connecting the two wheel stopping mechanisms can interfere with the collapsing movement of the baby carriage; thus, some measure or other must be taken also for such interlocking mechanism.
The simplest method of maintaining the stopped state of wheels is to insert an engaging member between spokes which are originally provided on many wheels. In such case, the engaging member will be movably installed for selective attainment of two states: one in which it is inserted between spokes and the other in which it is separated from spokes. This, however, cannot always be attained easily in the case of the so-called double wheel if such manner of movement of the engaging member is employed. In addition, by the double wheel is meant two wheels arranged parallel to each other at one place. Therefore, two double wheels will be provided at two different places. In such case, it is desirable that two engaging members are so designed that they simultaneously act each on two wheels included in a double wheel associated therewith. The reason is that if it comes to a double wheel it is advantageous from the standpoint of safety to bring both wheels into their stopped state. And when two engaging members are to be disposed with respect to a double wheel, it would seem desirable to position them between the wheels. However, where the two engaging members are disposed between the two wheels, the engaging members have to be so installed that they are movable in opposite directions. This requirement complicates the mechanism for simultaneously actuating the two engaging members.